What would YOU like to see in a Hitchhiker's Guide?

Search by color/animal/non-animal and maybe shape.

 

Hmmmmmm..... Something along the lines of that may be possible. I'm going to need y'alls input though.

 

A search function would be good, but maybe by: suitability, hitchhiker type (snail, worm, shrimp), and having color and shape just an additional filter option.


Also, I think adding pictures of hitchhikers that are still in a more infantile stage may help even more people. I, myself, have a few hikers I can't identify because all the pictures are of mature ones. Of course, this doesn't really apply to tiny hikers (such as shrimp), but maybe ones like fire worms, etc.

 

Can you think of some critters in particular you would like to see as youngins? Just so I can get a better idea.

 

Some of the "bigger" hitchhikers. Such as chiton sp., nemertea, nudibranch, fireworm, etc.

 

In the "Read More" section, if I can find baby pics I'll include it in the photo section Nursery (or something like that). Good idea.

I'm definitely going to have to offer different ways to look through it. As I'm adding pictures, it's becoming quite the beast to scroll through. The scrolling is useful if you don't know what you are looking for at all. You wouldn't think to go into the snail section to look for a vermetid.

 

Diagrams of anatomy or certain things?

This is part I of III. The other two are EggID and AlgaeID.

 

Maybe consider helpers like

Thing out and about at night or found in the dark places: ie Collonista, Polychaete worms, Limpets.
Things with shells: Limpets, Stomatella...
Things that swim: Epitoke, Mysid...
Things that look like dots: Flatworms, Copepods...

I know this probably is no help and I like your format as it currently is. I just keep going back to the clues that new hobbyist post that give me some idea of the needed ID, especially if no image is included.

How you know when they post "my tank has only been set up for 3 months and there are these hard red structures growing on the rocks" Ok Foraminiferans. Or " I see these red/orange or brown spots on my glass and corals" well 90% of the time it's FW.

Then again I don't know if I want it to be that easy.

 

I think I will have a link leading to a page with them categorized different ways.

 

I'm not sure if it's because you're fixing things up, but I can't click on the "read more" option for bristle stars, ostracods, etc.

Another suggestion: adding info about the different types of bristle stars (certain color known to grab & eat fish)